Rajya Sabha adjourned thrice over funds diversion

New Delhi, Aug 3 (IANS) The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for a third time Tuesday as opposition members staged a vociferous protest demanding a calling attention motion on the alleged diversion of funds meant for Dalits for the Commonwealth Games. The house was adjourned twice during the first hour on the issue before the third adjournment till 2 p.m. came.

As soon as the house met for the day, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Satish Mishra raised the issue of alleged diversion of funds from Delhi’s special component plan to the Commonwealth Games, as disclosed in a reply to a right to information application.

“The government is anti-Dalit, the funds meant for Scheduled Caste have been diverted to the Games,” Mishra said.

The BSP was joined by other opposition parties including the Bhartiya Janata Party and Left who demanded a discussion on the issue.

According to information given in reply to an RTI application, nearly Rs.744.35 crore from Delhi’s special component plan (SCP), which is meant for improving the standard of living of the poor sections of society, was diverted to the Games projects.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prithviraj Chavan assured the members the government would take up the discussion Wednesday or Thursday under appropriate rules but this did not satisfy the protesting members.

“Friends from the BSP raised the matter and they want a discussion under calling attention motion. We are ready to take it after zero hour tomorrow (Wednesday), the discussion on price rise can follow,” Chavan said, “or we can take it up day after (Thursday).”

Conceding to the statement of Chavan, Deputy Chairman K. Rahman Khan urged the member to take up the issue as per the rules.

The members, however, wanted an immediate discussion.

BSP’s Mishra urged that the issue be taken up immediately stating the main opposition parties were supporting them.

BJP leader and deputy leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha, S.S. Ahluwalia, said: “The issue must be taken up right now. There is a lot of ‘ghapla’ (irregularities) going on, call the minister and get a reply.”